Sabrecats and Boise win in rain-shortened cricket touranment

Pratap Murali of the Boise Cricket Club gets ready to flick over the midwicket against the Utah Lions in the Intermountain Cricket League's Memorial Weekend Tournament in Salt Lake City on Saturday, May 26, 2012.

SALT LAKE CITY — Weekend rain disrupted the seventh annual Memorial Day Intermountain Cricket League Tournament, allowing only two matches to be completed.

Boise Cricket Club bested the red-hot Utah Lions 199-80 in the first game of the 20-over tournament. The second game saw the host SLC Sabrecats beat the Las Vegas Cricket club by seven wickets.

In the second game, Las Vegas won the toss and elected to bat first. They were able to muscle a mammoth total of 175 runs in 20 overs. Both of their opening batsmen started well and they were managing to keep the run rate high until the first bowling change.

The Sabrecats’ Arun Salimath broke the partnership by taking Pasi’s wicket, who was starting to feel comfortable on the crease. Arun clean blowled Pasi. Ishaq Afridi took a very difficult catch of Pasindu on Arun’s ball deep in the midwicket.

“Sabrecats looked very good out on the field,” team captain Nasir Kahn said. “The Sabrecats players were sacrificing their bodies to save each and every run recognizing that (we are) the defending champions. Pressure definitely was on us.”

During Salt Lake County’s turn to bat, Shazad Ahmed led the team with a match-high 79 runs, while Roy Pritam’s splendid all-round performance impressed with ball and the bat. Roy took two crucial wickets on defense and scored a hard hitting and quick 60 run not out with six 6s.

“Before Sabrecats inning started Vegas was very confident that they have already won the match because to the gigantic total they put together,” Khan said.

“But the Sabrecats believed in themselves. The entire team played great. This victory was a result of a team effort. I could not have asked for anything more from my boys. They made me proud.”

Boise captain Pratap Murali said the championship game is tentatively scheduled for June 16 in Boise.